Changing Lives...

On Thursday we spent the morning traveling back to the site of the new water project and surveying more of the area. The travel gave us a new perspective on one of the challenges our project manager faces in regards to execution. Getting from the two main cities that carry supplies to the Songa commune (the area where our projects have been) is not that far of a drive - 120 kilometers at most - but much of the road is dirt and incredibly challenging to drive. Imagine trying to take your vehicle on the Barton Creek Greenbelt in Austin and it will give you a better idea. Then when it is the rainy season things are that much more difficult.

The new water project will take approximately six months and serve around 4,000 people. I had the opportunity to meet many of the workers that had already started digging (see picture above) and those that would be working as it progressed. Most of the laborers get about $1.65/day. That's not a lot, but when you take in to consideration that the average Burundian makes less than $1.50/day and the country's current unemployment rate hovers around 70%, these men are doing well for their family. And all but a few of the workers come from the village that is receiving the water project, so this is an opportunity for them to have a chance to get ahead for what is probably the first time.

Burundi culture is big on speeches. There could be five people in a room, but if it's in celebration of something there is always a speech - and usually more than one. If you went to Bernard's wedding you know exactly what I mean!

This trip has provided numerous opportunities for speeches, and we have kindly obliged each time. Today was especially neat because as the men gathered around near the source of the new project, the village elder shared a few words, Jean Bosco (our project manager) shared a few words, and then I had the chance to say a small speech because there was an English teacher for a nearby secondary school on hand to help. I got to share how excited their friends in America were to start this new project and that many were anxiously awaiting our report. And it also gave me the opportunity to implore to that this is their project and it is their water. We are only providing the funding for supplies, labor and management, and it is up to them to build it and to maintain it. They all seemed to agreed, and one family had already volunteered to watch the supplies each night so that nothing was stolen by bandits (they don't exactly have storage sheds here or metal fence to lock things up). I really got the sense that the community was feeling the ownership of the project, which was very encouraging. It's important that they do and know it is their own to take care of for the future.

One funny note for the day, it wouldn't be Africa without a crazy driver and the passengers trying to convince him to go down a steep, muddy hill and over a very questionable bridge. Below you'll see the "bridge" where one tire would have to go over land and one over unstable tree logs. The other is from getting back up the hill, when it took a good 20 villagers to push because the four-wheel drive wasn't good enough. Thankfully, I had enough wits about me to say enough is a enough and not let him try to drive the "bridge".